ISSN 2321 3361 © 2021 IJESC Research Article Volume 11 Issue No. 03 Food Safety Practices of Fast Food Chains in Sorsogon City Ailyn Jane S. Talavera1, Fely A. Habla,Ed.D.2 Graduate Studies, Sorsogon State College, Philippines1, 2 Abstract: This study determined the food safety practices and the extent of its practices of Fast Food Chains in Sorsogon City along with personnel, workplace, procedure, and the product. The descriptive type of research was used in the study. The main instrument that was used in the study is a questionnaire checklist. The respondents of this study are the foodservice crews and customers. Appropriate statistical tools were used to analyze and interpret the data. The level of perceptions of the service crews on food safety practices of the fast-food chains along personnel, workplace, processes, and products are described as strongly agree and agree for the customers. The level of perceptions of the service crews and customers on the extent of practice on food safety practices of the fast-food chains along personnel, workplace, processes, and products are described as always practice. There are significant differences in the perceptions of the two groups of respondents on food safety practices of the fast-food chains along with personnel, workplace, processes, and products. There are identified problems encountered by both service crews and the customers. An action plan is proposed to improve the food safety practices of the food chain. Keywords: food safety practices, fast food chains, customers, service crews INTRODUCTION carried out by trained food inspectors called Food and Drug In the food industry, quality of food and services, Regulation Officers (FDROs). advertisements, customer satisfaction are some of the key In the City of Sorsogon, the food industry has been factors to take into account for successful operations. Although drastically improving from only several food establishments there is one thing that is utmost of all of these which is the nowadays there are already numerous varieties; high-end health of the customers, foods to be served in any food restaurants, canteens, food stalls, and food carts, and even establishments must be free from any food contaminations and franchises. The most popular amongst the said establishments to evade from any food borne illnesses. This is where the Food are the fast-food chains not only they offer more affordable Safety Practices comes in. Food Safety refers to handling, options to the consumers but also because of its convenience preparing, and storing food in a way to best reduce the risk of especially now any fast-food chains already have food individuals becoming sick from food borne illnesses. deliveries transaction. This system has been highly in demand The Food Service Industry has been one of the fastest- for consumers of Sorsogon City. With this, the Local growing industries in the country. From high-end restaurants, Government of the Sorsogon City shall abide by the cafés, franchised stalls and other food establishments the most abovementioned state by providing permits, monitoring, and popular in the country are the fast-food chains. There are inspecting the food establishment. hundreds of branches of varieties of Fast Food Chains all over Several studies related to the present study were the country, besides the fact that they are more convenient, reviewed. These gave the researcher useful insights in the products are more affordable and also accessible because of the organization of ideas in this research. Abera(2012), food safety food deliveries which is a must nowadays. Due to its high is defined by WHO as the assurance that when foods are demand for most of the public thus, fast food chains must consumed in the usual manner does not harm human health and consistently abide by the regulations of food safety practices to wellbeing. It is the utmost concern of the twenty-first century. guarantee the food that is served to the consumer is safe and Foodservice establishments are sources of foodborne illnesses free from any food contamination. In the Philippines‚ the food and food handlers contribute to foodborne illness outbreaks industry have grown rapidly - canteen/ eatery or also known as applying the principle of Food Safety Practices. the “turo-turo”, high- end restaurants, catering services and As stated in the Republic Act 10611, “An Act To many more.This enlarges industry demands for the Strengthen The Food Safety Regulatory System In The Country implementation of rules and regulations with regards to food To Protect Consumer Health And Facilitate Market Access Of safety standards. This is to ensure the health and welfare of the Local Foods And Food Products, And For Other Purposes ” consumers. otherwise known as the “Food Safety Act of 2013”.Section 15, The Department of Health (DOH) through Food and Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution declares that the Drugs Administration (FDA) has been ensuring food safety by State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people enforcing the following activities: 1) inspection and licensing and in still health consciousness among them. Furthermore, of food establishments‚ 2) product registration‚ and 3) Section 9, Article XVI provides that the State shall protect continuous post marketing surveillance which includes consumers from trade malpractices and substandard or monitoring of trade outlets and product advertisements and hazardous products. Toward these ends, the State shall maintain product sampling at manufacturers’ level. These activities are a farm to fork food safety regulatory system that ensures a high IJESC, March 2021 27752 http:// ijesc.org/ level of food safety promotes fair trade, and advances the To ensure the reliability and validity of the global competitiveness of Philippine foods and food products. questionnaire a dry run conducted in one of the small restaurants in the city. OBJECTIVES RESULT AND DISCUSSION This study aimed to determine the Food Safety Practices of Fast-Food Chains in Sorsogon City Based from the data gathered, the following findings Specifically, it would seek answers to the following: are revealed: 1. The overall computed weighted mean on food 1. What are the Food Safety practices of the Fast-Food safety practices of the fast-food chains in Chains in Sorsogon City as perceived by service Sorsogon City as perceived by the service crews and customers along; crews along personnel, workplace, processes a. Personnel and products are: 3.87, 3.86, 3.88 and 3.89 b. Workplace respectively. While the overall computed c. Processes weighted means for customers are: 3.40, 3.40, d. Products 3.46 and 3.46 accordingly. 2. What is the extent of the practice of the Fast-Food 2. The overall computed weighted means on the Chain along the identified variables? extent of food safety practices of the fast-food 3. Is there a significant difference in safety practices of chains in Sorsogon City as perceived by the fast-food chains as perceived by the two groups of service crews along personnel, workplace, respondents along the identified variables? processes and products are: 3.84, 3.87, 3.91 and 4. What are the problems encountered by theFast-Food 3.85 respectively. While the overall computed Chains in the conduct of the Safety Practices? weighted means for customers are: 3.54, 3.55, 5. What could be proposed to improve the Food Safety 3.55 and 3.64 accordingly. Practices of Fast-Food Chains of Sorsogon City? 3. The computed chi square values on the difference in safety practices of fast-food chains along METHODOLOGY personnel, workplace, processes and products as perceived by the two groups of respondents are: This study aimed to determine the Food Safety of 13.25, 15.22, 11.8 and 11.8 in order. Fast-Food Chains in Sorsogon along with personnel, 4. The computed overall weighted means on the workplace, procedure, and the product. The researcher problems encountered by the service crews and employed the descriptive correlation design in thein the customers are 1.32 and 1.62 respectively. conduct of the study. The descriptive approach was considered in the in the study which is to determine the food safety Conclusions practices of fast-food chains along with the identified variables. 1. The level of perceptions of the service crews on The study also identifies the problems encountered by the Fast- food safety practices of the fast-food chainsalong Food Chains in executing Food Safety practices. The personnel, workplace, processes and products are respondents of this study were the owners, managers, and food described as strongly agree and agree for the service crews of the Fast-Food chains in Sorsogon City. customers. The correlation approach was employed to determine 2. The level of perceptions of the service crews and significant difference between the perspectives of the food customers on the extent of practice on food safety safety practice along personnel, workplace, process and practices of the fast-food chains along personnel, products of the two groups of respondents; the service crews workplace, processes and products are described and the customers. This study utilized a random sampling as always practice. technique. 3. There are significant differences in the The survey-questionnaire provided to the respondents perceptions of the two groups of respondents on and served as an instrument for data-gathering. The statistical food safety practices of the fast-food chains along tools that this study was utilized are the Frequency Count, personnel, workplace, processes and products. percentage and chi- square. Unstructured interview was also 4. There are identified problems encountered by employed during the survey to validate data provided by the both service crews and the customers. respondents. 5. An intervention plan is hereby proposed to The instrument used were a survey-questionnaire. Part improve the food safety practices of the food I of the questionnaire comprises on the assessment on the Food chain.